Oyewole Mayowa Solomon, the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, died on Friday after collapsing during a party reconciliation meeting held at the Iyara Town Hall. The meeting was convened by Funsho Olumoko, a former chairman of the local government, to resolve internal divisions among APC stakeholders ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Collapse and Death at Iyara Town Hall
Solomon fell during the proceedings, and those present reportedly attempted to revive him before he was rushed to a hospital in Kabba. He was later confirmed dead at the facility. The incident sent shock waves through the gathering, leaving party leaders, government officials, and other attendees visibly shaken.
The meeting was part of broader efforts to patch up divisions within the Ijumu APC and build unity among stakeholders. The session was designed to bring together ward and local government executives, women and youth leaders, and government appointees drawn from all 15 wards in the council area.
Background to the Reconciliation Push
The reconciliation effort followed tensions that surfaced at an earlier APC gathering in Iyara in August, where stakeholders met to endorse President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for re-election. That meeting was reportedly disrupted by disagreements over the local government's leadership, with Solomon and several other officials said to have walked out before proceedings concluded.
Olumoko's initiative aimed to address these divisions and present a united front. The timing of Solomon's death is likely to complicate the ongoing reconciliation drive within the Ijumu APC at a particularly delicate moment, as the party works to strengthen its position before the next election cycle.
Official Response Pending
As of the time this report was filed, the medical cause of Solomon's collapse had not been officially disclosed. Efforts to obtain a formal response from the APC leadership were also still ongoing. The development has raised questions about the future of the reconciliation process and the leadership vacuum left in the Ijumu APC, with stakeholders awaiting further announcements from party officials.
